Climate Change & the Global Conveyor Belt

CO2 sinks - OceansCarbon dioxide readily dissolves in water and the oceans provide a huge reservoir of carbon. Across the world's oceans there is a continual cycle of equilibration of dissolved carbon dioxide in water with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Around 88 thousand million tonnes of carbon is released from the surface of the world's oceans each year, with an annual uptake by the oceans of 90 thousand million tonnes. Consequently, the net uptake of carbon dioxide by oceans is estimated to be approximately 2 thousand million tonnes annually. The carbon dioxide which dissolves in our oceans occurs in three main forms. Aside from the normal carbon dioxide form, it is also found as bicarbonate and carbonate ions.

Global Warming SolutionsStronger storms, rising seas The consequences of global warming are apparent across the nation. Nobody wants our kids to inherit a world where storms like Superstorm Sandy or worse are the new normal. Yet we’ve seen devastating drought and flooding in the Midwest and destructive wildfires in Colorado and California. Coastal communities are threatened by predicted sea level rise.UCAR - University Corporation for Atmospheric ResearchRoll your cursor over any region to view potential impacts Africa Increased water stress for 75–250 million people by 2020 Loss of arable land, reduced growing seasons, and reduced yields in some areas Threats to low-lying coastal areas posed by sea-level rise Further degradation of mangroves and coral reefs Decreased fish stocks in large lakes Asia Increases in flooding, rock avalanches, and water resource disruption due to glacial melt from Himalayas (medium confidence) Increased flooding of coastal areas in southern and eastern Asia Ongoing risk of hunger due to regional variations in crop productivity, combined with rapid population growth and urbanization, in several developing countries (medium confidence) Development challenges due to the mix of climate change impacts, growing economies and populations, and rural-to-urban migration Australia and New Zealand

EvidenceThe Earth's climate has changed throughout history. Just in the last 650,000 years there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat, with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 7,000 years ago marking the beginning of the modern climate era — and of human civilization. Most of these climate changes are attributed to very small variations in Earth’s orbit that change the amount of solar energy our planet receives. Scientific evidence for warming of the climate system is unequivocal. The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is very likely human-induced and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300 years.1 Earth-orbiting satellites and other technological advances have enabled scientists to see the big picture, collecting many different types of information about our planet and its climate on a global scale.

Are Actually Causing Climate Change? This Graphic Will Tell YouAs the world gears up for a crucial climate summit in Paris this December, a few facts about global warming are worth considering. For one thing, not all nations are equal. The top 10 most polluting countries produce almost three-quarters of all the global emissions. For another, energy plays an outsized role in causing climate change. It accounts for roughly 75% of emissions, internationally speaking.

Climate Change Will Probably Ruin These 9 Delicious Foods By 2050, So Brace YourselvesWhile the next four decades aren't likely to see an agricultural apocalypse, it's pretty likely that some foods will be harder to come by -- due to increased costs and decreased supply -- as harvesting becomes more difficult due to rising temperatures and irregular weather patterns spurred by climate change. Here are a few of the food items you should be most concerned about. A decent cup of coffee. The Arabica coffee bean comes from finicky plants growing in developing nations heating up around the equator.

Understanding the Link Between Climate Change and Extreme WeatherOn This Page: Changes in Extreme Weather and Climate Events Scientists study many aspects of change in extreme weather and climate events. These include:This Changes Everything - ScreeningsThe Film – This Changes EverythingThis Changes Everything will be showing at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Camden International Film Festival in September, 2015. This Changes Everything will be available for theatrical and community screenings this Fall. If you or your organization are interested in hosting an event around the film, please contact: Theatrical ScreeningsCindy Banachcindy@abramorama.com